Saving Alex

It began as a whispering in the air. It krept up like a predator after its prey. The sky was as bright as zeus’ eyes, and soon he was about to strike. Thunder clouds swirled the sky with hypnotic slowness. Rain begins to fall,and as the rain fell so Does alex’s strength. Ever since he was little the sound of thunder petrified him.sending a bolt of electricity down his body, making it unable to move. he would cover his ears to try and mute the sound, but everytime the thunder would over power him. it was the battle he couldnt win. he recently developed an even greater fear than that of the ever powerful lightning god…Zeus. this man was not a god but he was more dangerous than any god could be to alex! This man is alex’s father. A 6 foot tall man, hands the size of a bear paw. the same hand strikes alex every single night. some hits leave alex gasping for air. trying to desperately hold on like a mother who doesn’t want her kids to grow upafter he beats alex he passes out. wasted!…and wontremember a thing by morning. alex sits in silence tears streaming down his face. his body screams in agony. yet his mouth is taped shut with nothing. thoughtsstorm his mind like bulls chasing after people in the streets of barcelona. all thoughts are dark and dangerous. he seeks a quick way out, that would be seemingly painless. But such a way doesnt exsit. he finally give in to his aching body’s cries for rest.getting it’s full 8 hours of rest so it can with stand another half hour of beatings.

10:03 A.M

The bell rings for third period. It’s P.E. The one class he couldn’t stand. He never cared about people making fun of him forhis lack of knowledge on sports. He didn’t care they he couldn’t catch a ball, let alone kick it. All he knew is that if anyone saw his bruises they would talk. So alex waits for everyone to leave the locker room. He would check each isle three to four times before changing. unfortunately, for him a kid was running late to class. Austin Williams! The first varsity basket ball captain, at the age of 16. He is a basketball prodigy. Averaging at least 25 points a game. Always the first to practice and the last to leave.

“who kicked your ass?” asked austin.

“…” Alex stood their, shaken and crying.

” …well? Who beat you up?”

” No one! I tripped and fell down some stairs.” alex replied .

” i’m not a dumbass, so quit the B.S”

“wh…why do you care? A celebrity like you shouldn’t be seen talking with a nobody like me…”

” celbrity?.. Im just a basketball player.”

” and im just a nobody, and i like to keep it that way.”

” tell me who kicked your ass or this “celbrity” will go to the principal and say you’ve been in a fight. ”

” all right…i wasn’ t in a fight. My father Did this..”

” your old man!?”

” YES! now im late, so bye.”

Alex rushes out of the locker room like football players rush down the field after a kick return.

4:00 P.M

Austin leaves school thinking about alex. Is he going to be beat again? What does he do to make his dad mad? Why dont he get help? Austin walks down the street toward his house and see’s a familiar vehicle in the driveway of his home. To be honest the driver Of the vehicle is as much astranger to the neighborhood as alex is to sports. The best lawyer in town is back home. Austin’s mother Ms williams of the williams law firm.

” so mom how long will you be home?” austin asked

“oh do you want me gone?” she asked

” no! I just rarely see you lately is all.”

” austin, you know its work.”

“Yeah,i know the great ms williams is in high demand.”

“i leave again tonight…sorry.”

“wow i dont get one day with my mom.”

“austin dont do this now”

” fine, can i have a friend stay over?”

“while im gone ? No!”

“youre always gone! So i cant have a friend over till the great ms willians decides to be a mom!”

“austin!”

“what?”

“im still your mother.”

“and im still your son…or did you forget!?”

Austin walks furiously away, stomping up the stairs like a kid who was told “No!” at the toy they wanted in the store.

He slams his door, knocking the picture off the end table in the hall. The glass shatters from the frame. Pieces of glass scatter all around the floor. Austin’s mother comes up stairs to see that the picture on the floor. Tears filled her eyes like girls lining up at a one direction concert. She knew what the photo was with out even looking at it. She didnt have to confirm that the picture that was shattered was of austin’s father. He didnt really know much about his dad, and his mom never talks about him. All he knew is his dad died when he was two. Killed in the line of duty. Austin’s mom walks over his room stepping over the glass so she dont get cut. she enters his room and see’s him sitting on his bed listening to music.

” yeah, but you said no. So when his father beats him tonight it’s on you.”

“do you know his adress? or his number?”

“i know he stays on dewey st, but i dont know which house.”

” Put on your shoes, were going to get him.”

“are you deaf? I dont know which house!”

“Get ready!”

” What are you gonna do? Go door to door just asking for an abused kid?”

” that’s a good idea.”

“no the hell its not! And why do you suddenly care?”

” he’s your friend? So get in the car and shut up! No more questions.”

Austin and his mom got into her mercedes benz and started driving toward alex side of town. She was driving fast like a cop in a high speed chase.

to her a yellow light meant, step on the gas pedal.

“mom…aren’t you going a little over the speed limit.” said austin

“hmm…im goingdouble the speed limit!” Ms.williams chuckled

” i feel like your trying to race vin diesel.”

“oh he is delicious!” she said with excitement

“ewww! No”

” you know when you were little this would have excited you, here you are at age 16 and your just a B****! “

“A b****?”

“yuppers, and you know not to swear in front of me.”

“sorry…wait no! What type of a parent call they child a B****!?”

” This type of parent.”

” what type is that?”

” im the cool type”

” Dont ever put your name and cool in the same sentance.

“why?”

“its like saying you have swagg, it just dont work.”

” I own swagg! Your broke ass only have swagg because i supply it. You kids think you have swagg and style but the truth is your a broke ass child living in your parent house. We own swagg as long as we own your ass. Until you get up and get a job to buy your own s***, then im the swagg queen of this house.”

Austin places his hand on his mom arm and says “are you mad? Do you wanna talk about it?”

“are you on your period.”

“what the f***!?”

“shut up! Were here already.”

They arrive on the east side of town. The houses look like they were in the middle of war. Cracked stair cases, cardboard on windows, curtains for doors and no one not even a child outside. The neighboorhood looked like a graveyard and smelled like a decomposing body that was sprayed by a skunk and left out in 99° weather. Alexwalked out from around the side of a house that was a little better than the rest of the neighborhood.

“good.” ms williams grabbed alex by the hand and began pulling him toward the car.

“what are you doing let me go!”

” alex darling do you want to stay getting abuse by your father.?”

“he is my father”

“The title of “father” is far from him.”

“what do you mean?”

” any body can have sex and have a baby but , that does not make them a parent. A parent love their kids no matter what! they protect them not put them indanger.”

“So what do i do?”

“get in the car.”

Alex got into Ms williams mercedes ben’s and they drove away from his home. She drove them downtown to a clothing outlet. the store meant for the rich, which alex was not.

“Alex !” ms williams called ” pick out some nice outfits.”

“what… I cant afford nothing like this, these clothes could buy and sell me.”

Ms williams laughed hysterically. “just do as i say please.”

“mom can i get some stuff too?” austin asked

” of course! Why ask such a dumb question?”

Austin helped alex pick out some outfits.

“thank you for the clothes…but what was wrong with my old clothes?” alex asked.

” they make my eyes burn.” ms williams said.

” Mom!” austin shouted.

“what?”

“thats rude”

“ok..its not an image you can carry while living in my house.

“what!?” alex asked.

” Your going to stay with us from now on.”

” this is kidnapping!”

” this is me saving you from a man who is hurting you in more ways than you know.”

” but…”

” I dont get it, back in my day you did as you were told no question asked. Now in todays time we get a side b**** with it.”

” Dude! Im not sure but i think your mom just called me a b****.” alex said to austin.

” join the club” austin said to alex.

” Can you two get in the car so i can take you home. I have to get to work soon!”

They all got back into the car and she drove them back home. Alex was given the guest bedroom in the house. He had his own bathroom and walk in closet. A flat screen television and small outdoor padio.

“home is not always where you come from, but where you belong. Home is where the love is which is here for you.” said ms williams standing at alex door with austin.